Paper dispenser



W. E. MELL PAPER DISPENSER Sept. 20, 1949.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 19, 1947 p I: INVENTOR.

v f V I JZMQZ Sept. 20, 1949.

Filed July 19, 1947 w. E. MELL 2,482,714

PAPER DISPENSER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Septzo. 1949 PAPER msraussn William E. Mell, Chicago, 111., asslgnor to Mell- Hofl'mann Mfg. Co., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application July 19, 1947, Serial No. 762,067 13 Claims. (Cl. 242-554) This invention relates generally to paper dispensers and more particularly to dispensers capable of simultaneously accommodating two rolls of paper as, for example. a roll of paper toweling and a roll of waxed paper.

Such items as paper toweling and waxed paper are in frequent demand in the average kitchen and not infrequently are used contemporaneously. Hence, it is of practical significance to have both items available from sources of supply which are proximately located, preferably from the same dispenser. It is therefore one of the important features of the present invention to provide a new and improved dispensing device which will enable at least two sources of rolled paper supply to be positioned in proximity to each other and so arranged as to facilitate the ease with which paper sheets may be withdrawn and severed.

More specifically. the present invention contemplates a dispenser for paper rolls in which tiltable cover portions cooperate to support and facilitate withdrawal and subsequent severance of the paper sheets.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a dispensing device of the type referred to above including a dispenser for a pair of paper rolls, the front portion of which may be opened with convenience to facilitate paper replacement and when in closed position to facilitate paper severance.

The present invention also contemplates a dispensing device of the type previously referred to which is particularly well adapted to accommodate a roll of waxed paper in an upper chamber, and a roll of toweling paper in a lower chamber, the upper and lower closure portions cooperating to materially facilitate mounting, withdrawal, and ultimate severance of paper sheets.

In addition to the foregoing objects and advantages, the invention also contemplates the provision of a multipaper dispenser having a novel arrangement of paper crimping means in the form of co-acting cover portions whereby the paper after partial withdrawal is firmly crimped along a line of tear.

It is still a furtherobject of the present invention to provide a multipaper dispenser in which the free margin of the paper of each roll is automatically located in convenient position for crimpin by the user at the time it is desired to withdraw and subsequently tear a section from the roll.

Further objects and advantages will be more apparent from the following detailed description 2 when considered in connection with th accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the dispenser as it appears before paper is withdrawn therefrom;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the device shown in Fig. 1 with the front cover portions tilted to open position;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the device as shown in Fig. 1 disclosing the up-- per cover portion lifted sufficiently to permit withdrawal of waxed paper over the upper margin of the other cover member; r

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the under side of the dispenser disclosing the aperture through which the paper toweling is withdrawn;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 of Fig. 1, open positions of the cover members being shown by dotted lines;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line 66 of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 6 disclosing the manner in which the spring mountings for the paper toweling may be sprung outwardly to permit replacement of th paper roll; and

Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the portion included within the dot and dash circle A of Fig. 5.

Referring now to the drawings in more detail wherein like numerals have been employed to designate similar parts throughout the various views, it will be seen that one embodiment of the invention contemplates a dispensing device including a container designated generally by the numeral II). This container I0 includes side walls its extremities, said flanges being pivotally mounted on the side or end walls l2 at 24. The lower closure member 22 is also flanged at its extremities, and these flanges are pivotally secured at 26 to the lower front corner of each side wall 12 Referring to Fig. 5, it will be noted that when the closure members 2ll-22 occupy their closed position (shown in solid lines) the container l 0 is divided into upper and lower chambers 2830 by a partition 32. This partition 32 is flanged along its rear margin and suitably secured as by weld me to the front surface of the rear wall It. From this position the partition extends substantially horizontally and ultimately curves upwardly so as to provide a section inclined to the vertical and terminating in proximity to the underside of the closure member 28 when said closure member occupies the closed position shown in Fig. 5. Angle brackets 34 secured as by welding to adjacent end walls l2 and the underside of the partition 32 serve to hold the partition in place as is clearly shown in Fig. 2. The upper inner margin of the lower closure member 22 carries a tension bar 36 which cooperates with the adjacent margin of the upper closure member 28 to crimp waxed paper in place as will hereinafter more clearly appear.

The upper or smaller chamber 28 serves to accommodate a roll of waxed paper 38 and the lower larger chamber 88 accommodates a roll of paper toweling 48. The roll of waxed paper 38 rests loosely within the chamber, its lower periphery resting upon the upper part of the partition 32, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. The free margin of the waxed paper is directed upwardly along the inclined portion of :the partition 32 and thence over the upper free edge of the tension or crimping bar 36, as clearly shown in Fig. 8. The weight of the closure member 28 causes the waxed paper to be crimped as shown, thereby materially facilitating the ease with which a section of the paper may be torn or severed along a straight line as determined by the free edge of the closure member 28. Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken in the vicinity of the dot and dash circle designated by the letter A in Fig. 5.

, After the desired length of waxed paper has been torn, that portion of the paper lying between the upper margin of the tension bar 36 and the adjacent portion of the cover 28 is held in place in readiness to be gripped by the user when a subsequent supply of waxed paper is desired. In order for the user to grasp this portion of the waxed paper it is necessary to elevate the cover 28. This releases the free, previously crim ed, portion of the paper and the resiliency of the paper is suflicient to cause it to spring upwardly in position to be grasped for purposes of withdrawal. Thus, the upper and lower closure members cooperate to first crimp the waxed paper rendering it easily severable along the straight edge of the upper closure member, and secondly, upon release of the upper closure member from the free margin of the waxed paper, the said margin flexes upwardly to a position in readiness to be gripped by the users fingers for subsequent withdrawal. Until it is desired to withdraw the waxed paper, the free margin thereof is firmly ripped between the tension bar 36 and the closure member 28. To lend additional strength, the lower margin of the tension bar 36 is bent laterally as shown in Fig. 8.

Having described the coaction between the upper and lower closure members 28-22 in connection with the withdrawal, severance and positioning of the waxed paper 38, reference will now be made to the functioning of the lower closure member 22 in connection with the supporting and withdrawing of the paper toweling 48. Paper toweling I8 is carried between a pair of spring arms 42. These arms 42 are secured at one end as, for example, by a weld, to the underside of the closure member 22. The outer portions of the. arms 42 carry trunnion members 44 which accommodatethe inner sleeve 86 of the paper toweling roll. In order to insert a roll of paper toweling between the arms 42 it is only necessary to swing the closure member 22 outwardly to a substantially horizontal position as indicated by dotted lines in Fig.5, spring'the arms 42 outwardly as indicated in Fig. 7, and

then apply the roll of paper toweling between the trunnion members ll. Pressure applied against each end of the paper toweling roll by the flanged portion of the trunnions 44 establishes sufllcient frictional resistance to prevent overrunning of the paper toweling as it is withdrawn and severed. This frictional resistance does not impair the ease with which the paper toweling may be withdrawn from the roll, but merely serves to prevent unauthorized rotation of the roll in either direction. Thus these spring mountings for the paper roll serve to prevent inadvertent or unintentional unrolling of the paper toweling and also prevent the free margin of the paper from moving upwardly into a position of inaccessibility for subsequent withdrawal. That is to say, once a section of paper toweling has been torn oil, the free margin of the roll will remain in a position readily accessible for the subsequent withdrawal. The lower edge of the closure member 22 provides the edge along which the toweling paper may be torn. Here again the frictional resistance set up by the spring-pressed trunnions M is suflicient to withstand the pull on the paper exerted during the tearing thereof. The bottom of the container I8 is provided with an elongated opening 48, Figs. 4 and 5, through which the free margin 01 the paper toweling may be withdrawn.

The rear wall I of the container I8 is preferably provided with apertures 58 for accommodating the heads and shank portions of fastening screws 52, Fig. 5. In order to mount the container or cabinet upon a wall it is only necessary to use four properly located screws. In some instances it may only be necessary to use the two upper apertures 58 for mounting the container upon the wall.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present invention contemplates a multi-roll paper dispensing device of novel and practical form. It is neat in external appearance and extremely convenient for use. All of the constituent parts may be produced by the practice of simple and practical shop methods and hence the device may be produced most economically. It will be noted that the upper closure member 28 is so formed that when it is shifted to its extreme open position as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 5 it will remain in this position until urged downwardly. Also, the lower closure member may be easily shifted to its open substantially horizontal position and is held in this position by the engagement of the inner surface of the cover with the lowermost corner edges of said walls l2. While in this position the replacement of paper toweling may be accomplished with the utmost ease. Also, when the lower closure member 22 occupies its closed position the weight of the paper toweling is such as to hold the closure member 22 in this position. As previously pointed out, the partition 32 divides the container ill into the smaller chamber or compartment 28 and the lower larger compartment 88. By having the forward margin of the partition 22 curve upwardly as illustrated in Fig. 5, more room is aiiorded to the chamber 38 and the free margin of the waxed paper is automatically directed upwardly to a position of accessibility for gripping by the user. The weight of the waxed paper roll 88 is sumcient to provide the frictional contact between the lower periphery of the roll and the upper surface of the partition 32 to prevent inadvertent rotation of the roll which might otherwise cause the free margin of the waxed paper to be drawn inwardly when the cover or closure member is elevated. Therefore, when the roll 38 is secured against rotation the free margin of the waxed paper is constantly positioned on the tension bar 36 for convenient gripping when the upper closure member 20 is elevated. By having the smaller chamber positioned uppermost in the container, it is possible to curve the lower closure member 22 inwardly and in this manner to take advantage of the weight of the paper toweling for maintaining the cover member '22 in closed position. In this connection it will be seen that the spring arms 42 are secured to that portion of the closure member 22 which is inclined inwardly from the vertical when said closure member occupies the closed position illustrated in Fig. 5.

The dispenser contemplated by the present invention is compactly arranged as Well as attractive in appearance. Obviously, the invention contemplates other modifications and changes without departing from th spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 7

1. A device for dispensing sheet material such as paper in roll form, including a container, said container having an upper and a lower chamber, each arranged to accommodate a roll of sheet material, a tiltable cover for the upper chamber, a tiltable cover for the lower chamber, said tiltable covers being tiltable in opposite directions, the free margins of said covers being adjacently positioned when said covers are closed but permitting the passage therebetween of sheet material from a roll in the upper chamber, means associated with the lower chamber for rotatably supporting a sheet material roll, the bottom of the container having an opening to permitwithdrawal therethrough of sheet material stock from the lower chamber, and means in the vicinity of said opening providing an edge against which sheet material from a roll in the lower chamber may be engaged for tearing.

2. A device for dispensing sheet material such as paper in roll form, including a container, a-

partition dividing said container into an upper and a lower chamber, each arranged to accommodate a roll of sheet material, a tiltable cover for the upper chamber, a tiltable cover for the lower chamber, the margins of said covers being adjacently positioned when said covers are closed but permitting the passage therebetween of sheet material from a roll in the upper chamber, the outer margin .of said partition being inclined upwardly toward and terminating in the vicinity of the adjacent margins of said covers to maintain the roll of sheet material therein, means associated with the lower chamber for rotatably supporting a roll of sheet material, the bottom of the container having an opening to permit withdrawal therethrough of sheet material from the lower chamber, and means in the vicinity of said of said sheet material, means associated with the opening providing an edge against which sheet material from a roll in the lower chamber may beengaged for tearing.

3. A device for dispensing sheet material such as paper in roll form, including a container, said container having an upper and a lower chamber,

each arranged to accommodate a roll of sheet material, a tiltable cover for the upper chamber,

a tiltable cover for the lower chamber, said tiltlower chamber for rotatably supporting a roll of sheet material, the bottom of the container having an opening to permit withdrawal therethrough of sheet material from the lower chamber, and means in the vicinity of said opening providing an edge against which sheet material from a roll in the lower chamber may be engaged for tearing.

4. A device for dispensing sheet material such as paper in roll form, including a container, said container having an upper and a lower chamber, each arranged to accommodate a roll of sheet material, a tiltable cover for theupper chamber, a tiltable cover for the lower chamber, the margins of said covers being adjacently positioned when said covers are closed but permitting the passage therebetween of sheet material from a .roll in the upper chamber, a crimping bar posimeans in the vicinity of said opening providing an edge against which sheet material from a roll in the lower chamber may be engaged for tearing.

5. A device for dispensing sheet material such as paper in roll form, including a container, said container having an upper and a lower chamber, each arrangedto accommodate a roll of sheet material, a tiltable cover for the upper chamber, a tiltable'cover for the lower chamber, said tiltable covers being tiltable in'opposite directions, the free margins of said covers being adjacently positioned when said covers are closed but permitting the passage therebetween of sheet material from a roll in the upper chamber, means carried by the tiltable cover associated with the lower chamber for rotatably supporting a roll of sheet material, the bottom of the container having an opening to permit withdrawal therethrough of sheet material from the lower chamber, and means in the vicinity of said opening providing an edge against which sheet material from a roll in the lower chamber may be engaged for tearing.

6. A. device for dispensing sheet material such as paper in roll form, including a container, a

partition dividing said container into an upper and a lower chamber, each arranged to accommodate a roll of sheet material, the upper surface .of said partition providing a support for a roll lower chamber, and means in the vicinity 01' said opening providing an edge against which sheet material from a roll in the lower chamber may be engaged for tearing.

7. A device for dispensing sheet material such as paper in roll form, including a container, said container having an upper and a lower chamber, each arranged to accommodate a roll of sheet material, a tiltable cover for the upper chamber, a tiltable cover for the lower chamber, said tiltable covers being tiltable in opposite directions, the free margins of said covers being adjacently positioned when said covers are closed but permitting the passage therebetween of sheet material from a roll in the upper chamber, means associated with the lower chamber for rotatably supporting a roll of sheet material, the bottom of the container having an opening to permit withdrawal therethrough of sheet material from the lower chamber, means in the vicinity of said opening providing an edge against which sheet material from a roll in the lower chamber may be engaged for tearing, abutment means limiting rearward tilting of the upper cover when said cover occupies its fully opened position, and abutment means for maintaining said lower cover in a substantially horizontal position after said cover has been tilted to its fully opened position.

8. A device for dispensing sheet material such as paper in roll form, including a container, said container having an upper and a lower chamber, each arranged to accommodate a roll of sheet material, a tiltable cover for the upper chamber, a tiltable cover for the lower chamber, the margins of said covers being adjacently positioned when said covers are closed but permitting the passage therebetween of sheet material from a roll in the upper chamber, means extending normally inwardly from said tiltable cover associated with the lower chamber for rotatably supporting a roll of sheet material so that the weight'of said roll of sheet material tends to urge said cover toward its closed position, the bottom'of the container having an opening to permit withdrawal therethrough of sheet material from the lower chamber, and means in the vicinity, of said opening providing an edge against which sheet material from a roll in the lower chamber may be engaged for tearing.

9. A device for dispensing sheet material such as paper in roll form, including a container, said container havingan upper and a lower chamber, each arranged to accommodate a roll of sheet material, a tiltable cover for the upper chamber, a tiltable cover for the lower chamber, said tiltable covers being tiltable in opposite directions, the free margins of said covers being adjacently positioned when said covers are closed but permitting the passage therebetween of sheet material from a roll in the upper chamber, a crimping bar carried by the lower tiltable cover and positioned in the vicinity of said free margins when the covers are closed, said bar cooperatively arranged with respect to the upper cover for crimping sheet material from a roll in said upper chamber, means associated with the lower chamber for rotatably supporting aroll of sheet material, the bottom of the container having an opening to permit withdrawal therethrough of sheet material from the lower chamber, and means in the vicinity of said opening providing an edge against which sheet material from a roll in the lower chamber may be engaged for tearing.

10. A device for dispensing sheet material such as paper in roll iorm', including a container having a substantially upright rear wall, side walls extending forwardly from each upright margin of said rear wall, a horizontally disposed partition extending forwardly from the upper portion of the rear wall and positioned between said side walls to provide a rest for a roll of sheet material, an upper cover member pivotally mounted in the vicinity of the upper rear portion of the container and adapted to be swung upwardly so as to expose a tree margin of a roll of sheet material on said partition, a lower cover member pivotally supported at the lower front portion of the container, and means carried by said lower cover for supporting a second roll of sheet material in position beneath said partition, the free margins of said cover members when closed being juxtapositioned so as to permit a margin of the upper roll of sheet material to be withdrawn therebetween, the upper cover having a downwardly extending portion inclined outwardly from the vertical and an edge against which sheet material from the roll in the upper chamber may be engaged for tearing, and the lower cover having an upwardly extending portion inclined inwardly from the vertical, said inclined portions merging into coplanar relation when in closed position.

11. A device for dispensing sheet material in roll form and comprising a container having upper and lower chambers, each chamber arranged to accommodate therein a roll of sheet material to be dispensed, a tiltable cover for the upper chamber, a tiltable cover for the lower chamber, said covers being arranged when closed to completely cover the front of the container and having the transverse edges thereof positioned immediately adjacent one another when closed to frictionally resist passage therebetween of sheet material from the roll in the upper chamber, said container having an opening at the bottom thereof to permit withdrawal therethrough of sheet material from the roll in said lower chamber, and means adjacent said opening providing an edge against which the sheet material from the roll in the lower chamber may be engaged for tearing.

12. A device for dispensing sheet material in roll form comprising a, container having upper and lower chambers, each chamber arranged to accommodate therein a roll of sheet material to be dispensed, a tiltable cover for the upper chamber, a tiltable cover for the lower chamber, said covers being arranged when closed to completely cover the front or the container and having the adjacent edges thereof relatively overlapped when closed to afford frictional resistance to the passage therebetween of sheet material from the roll in the upper chamber, said container having an opening at the bottom thereof to permit withdrawal therethrough of sheet material from the roll in said lower chamber, and means adjacent said opening providing an edge against which the sheet material from the roll in the lower chamber may be engaged for tearing.

13. A device for dispensing sheet material in roll form as claimed in claim 12, wherein there is provided a partition dividing the container into the upper and lower chambers, said partition extending forwardly and providing an abutment surface for the inner lapped edge 01' one of said covers when in closed position.

WILLIAM E. MELL.

(References on following pm) 319,789 Great Britain Dec. 29, 1930 9 REFERENCES CITED Number Name M The following references are of record in the gggggg m g 3 file of mama: I m

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773,943 Krauth Oct. 25, 1 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,12 ,672 Winter 63 81 D00. 29, 1914 I 1,651,434 Bell Dec. 0, 192*! Number 

